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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to this state's goal for electric energy efficiency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.905, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (g) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) It is the goal of the legislature that: |
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(1) electric utilities will administer energy savings |
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incentive programs in a market-neutral, nondiscriminatory manner |
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but will not offer underlying competitive services; |
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(2) all customers, in all customer classes, have a |
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choice of and access to energy efficiency alternatives and other |
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choices from the market that allow each customer to reduce energy |
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consumption, peak demand, or energy costs; [and] |
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(3) each electric utility will provide, through |
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market-based standard offer programs or limited, targeted, |
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market-transformation programs, incentives sufficient for retail |
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electric providers and competitive energy service providers to |
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acquire additional cost-effective energy efficiency equivalent to |
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at least 10 percent of the electric utility's annual growth in |
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demand from residential and small commercial customers; and |
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(4) the commission ensures the development of |
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cost-effective and market-based load response programs. |
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(b) The commission shall provide oversight and adopt rules |
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and procedures, as necessary, to ensure that the utilities can |
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achieve the goal of this section. The commission shall ensure that |
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costs associated with programs provided under this section are |
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borne by the customers who receive services under the programs. |
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(g) The commission and the comptroller jointly by rule shall |
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develop a program through which customers may receive a refund of |
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not more than three percent of the taxes the customer paid for |
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electric services taxable under Chapter 151, Tax Code. To be |
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eligible for the program, a customer may not participate in a |
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program under Subsection (a)(3) and must engage in energy |
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efficiency measures that reduce electric energy consumption, |
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increase the efficiency of electric energy production, or reduce |
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peak demand. Rules adopted under this section must provide for a |
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tax refund for energy efficiency measures described by this |
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subsection that were taken on or after January 1, 2005. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |